A weekly video look at our community and our worldwith host and producer john Quinlanproduced at the sun prairie (Wi) Media center

Podcasts of Recent "Forward Forum" Shows

If you have feedback on recent shows, ideas for new show, or are with an organization or cause you'd like to get on Forward Form, please contact producer-host John L. Quinlan at John.L.Quinlan@gmail.com or call 608-213-8409

Medea Benjamin, nationally-renowned political activist and co-founder of Code Pink talks with John Quinlan and Bonnie Block about her new book Kingdom of the Unjust: Behind the U.S.–Saudi Connection"Recorded September 20, 2016

Steve Starkey, current E.D. of the OutReach LGBT Community Centerin a wide-ranging and illuminating conversationwith show host and gay community leader John Quinlan (his predecessor)about 40 plus years of groundbreaking victories of LGBT rightsin Madison and Wisconsin

Show also previews the upcoming Pride Paradeand OutReach's September 23rd Annual Awards Banquet at Monona TerraceRecorded August 15, 2016

Z! Haukeness, transgender and racial justice activist, on his life's journey andthe intersectionality of all important social justice work

Z! was the recipient of the 2016 Dane County and MadisonRev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Humanitarian Award,was named Advocate of the Year by OutReach LGBT Community Center,and is an organizer for the WI Network for Peace and JusticeRecorded August 12, 2016

Rising Community Leader Desmond Webster,Communications Director at Forward Community InvestmentsDiscusses New Paradigms for Philanthropy and Community InvolvementRecorded August 12, 2016

Madison Alder Maurice Cheeks discusses community/police relationsand other pressing issues facing the Madison Common CouncilWe learn more about his life, and what attracted him to Madison,as well as his concerns for the city

In Part Two, we discuss the importance of electing leaders incommunities of color into higher elected officeRecorded August 2, 2016

Hopes for Peace in the Face of Terror and War:Lifelong Peace activists Joe Elder and Bonnie Blockdiscuss why they work for peaceRecorded July 29, 2016

Matt Rothschild, E.D. of the WI Democracy Campaignand Barbara Wright an accomplished community activistin a thought-provoking discussion about the 2016 presidential campaign,including the Republican and Democratic Conventions,and state and national politicsRecorded July 29, 2016

UW=Madison Alum and Wausau NativeCharles Hughes discusses his amazing book"Country Soul: Making Music and Making Race."Recorded May 16, 2016

A Celebration of Support for the United Nations:Honoring Four Milwaukee Centenarian-Social Activists

UNA-USA Exec. Director Chris Whatley Speaks to UNA-Milwaukee:Opportunities for the UN and the UNA in Year of TransitionsSpecial Remote Location Show Taped April 21, 2016on Location at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Milwaukee

Special Greetings to All of the New Colleagues and FriendsThat I Met at the April 28th-29th WCM/ACM"Casting a Broad Net" Regional Community Media Conference.I greatly enjoyed the chance to meet you all, and the opportunity to present on good interview techniques. and hope we'll also connect over time on building collaborations around news and public affairs programming statewide and regionally. Below are my interviews with Bob McChesney and Mary Cardona/Jeff Robbins.I'll have additional resources up on separate tab on this site early next week.

Communication Professor Robert W. McChesneyco-author with John Nichols of the landmark book "People Get Ready"We discuss America at a CrossroadsAnd the Future of DemocracyShow taped April 22, 2016

Interesting Insights and Perspectives on the Power of Community MediaWith guests Mary Cardona, Exec. Director of Wisconsin Community Mediaand Jeff Robbins, Director of the Sun Prairie Media Center(presented in advance of the April 28-29th "Casting a Broad Net" Regional Media Conference)

"A Celebration of Support for the United Nations"United Nations Association of Greater Milwaukee presentsThis program honoring four members who are either 100 or 101 years old

Also featuring a keynote address by national UNA director Chris WhatleyVisiting Wisconsin from Washington, DC​Thanks to UNA-Milwaukee's Debbie Metke for these amazing interviewsRecorded on location in Milwaukee on April 9, 2016

Featured ShowCharting a New Era in whichNative American Values will Lead the WayShow Taped Oct. 26, 2015

In this amazing book, Patty tells the story of 12 American Indian Activists​from Wisconsin who overcame acts of historic prejudice and disrespect, leading us all toward a better way

Alzheimer's In the African-American Community

John speaks with Charlie Daniel, Diversity Coordinator for the Alzheimer's and Dementia Alliance of Wisconsin, and Susan Flowers Benton, in Rehab Psychology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Education.

Their wide-ranging discussion is, in part, a preview of a late February educational event featuring a wide variety of presentations and services, with special emphasis onhow this illness affects African Americans, and how pioneering scientistslike Solomon Carter Fuller have long led efforts to find solutions through research and culturally-competent treatment.

It also touches on how this illness has a hugely disproportionate impact onAfrican-Americans. This is juxtaposed with special barriers to preventionand treatment because of the historic mistreatment of African-Americansby the medical establishment.

Daunting challenges juxtaposed with powerful solutions, by two women doing incredible work in diverse communities in south central Wisconsin.

Lessons here for us all.

Taped Feb. 15, 2016

Author of the new important book, 'Empty Playground'He Employs Theater and Art as a Means of Moving Toward Healing,With prevention, increased understandings, and effective and compassionate treatment as goals we can all share

A moving and inspiring interviewthat deals with this subject in a powerfully authentic way

Rev. Michael Livingston of the Historic Riverside ChurchSpeaks to the Annual Meeting of Madison'sInterfaith Coalition for Worker Justice

In the best traditions of Dr. King,Moving Us Toward a Better World WhereWorkers' Rights, Racial Equality, and Social Justice Reign

Special On-Location EventTaped Feb. 3, 2016

Encouraging News Shared of Powerful Movements,Coalition-building, and Organizing in WisconsinAt a Time of Great Challenge for Democracy

An Inspiring Conversation with Matt Rothschild,Exec. Director of the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign

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The former longtime editor and publisher of The Progressive Magazineembraces a new role at the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign. There's plenty of reason for concern, but Matt's approach in this inspiring interview is to accentuate the positive, citing historical precedent and encouraging grassroots-based developments now breaking the surface across the state.

Recorded on the fifth year anniversary of the uprising at the Wisconsin Capital.

Interesting sidelight: Matt is a lifelong conservationist and birder who has been a frequent visitor to Oregon's Malheur Wildlife Refuge, then under siege by an extremist anti-government group. He describes the irony of folks purporting to "take back" these beautiful public lands, and explains how this fits into the bigger picture of short-sighted and selfish efforts to distract us from involving government in meaningful ways on the path toward the common good.

As mentioned above, often, such discussions dwell on the negative. In this discussion, we seek to illuminate the positive, with hopes for a brighter future under a revitalized democracy for all.

Taped January 19, 2016

Looking at Iran Through New Eyes:Setting Aside Stereotypes and Animosityby Traveling to Iran and Meeting its Amazing People

A Fascinating and Eye-Opening Conversation with Madison-basedpeace activist and grandmother Bonnie Block,featuring powerful images of this diverse and beautiful landwhere we may have more in common with its people than we think

A conversation recorded in a week when American troops had just been released a day after wandering into Iranian territory,and the day before a new era began as a new treaty took effectsymbolizing new potential for Iranians and Americans to come together

Taped Jan. 15, 2016

Santas Without Chimneys:Finding Meaningful Ways to Reach Out to the Families and ChildrenDirectly Affected by Homelessnessduring the holidays and throughout the year

Sara Gilbertson, Chaous Riddle, and Ed Kuharski discuss "Santas Without Chimneys," a program that provides toys to kids who are homeless.

It's part of a much wider-ranging discussion, about why a community like Madison, blessed with so much prosperity, is unable to find ways to create affordable housing and gainful employment for so many of its citizens.

In this program presented just before the holidays,we ask, "Why is there Still No Room at the Inn?"

Taped Dec. 18, 2015

Norm Stockwell, Operations Manager of WORT-FM, and a social justice activist in multiple realms, made a promise to his friend John Ross before his death, that he would publish this powerful book of his work.

As Isthmus described him in its review article:

John Ross was born in New York City in 1938. He grew up among beat poets like Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg; he was heavily influenced by their prose, and began writing and reading his own poetry in Greenwich Village bars. In 1957, Ross set out for Mexico City, then made himself home among an indigenous community in the Mexican state of Michoacán.

When he returned to the United States six years later, he became the first person jailed for refusing the draft for Vietnam. In the early 1970s, he began reporting in California, Spain and Africa for The Progressive, The Nation, the San Francisco Bay Guardian and other publications.

His 1995 book Rebellion from the Roots:Zapatista Uprising in Chiapas won the American Book Award, and he received the 2005 Upton Sinclair Award for his book Murdered By Capitalism: 150 Years of Life and Death on theAmerican Left. Ross’ dedication to storytelling from the bottom up was something he hoped to pass on to future independent reporters like himself.

Norm Stockwell agreed to help make that a reality with the editing and publishing of Rebel Reporting: John Ross Speaks to Independent Journalists.

John speaks with Moriah Grace, an Independent Living Specialist for Access To Independence, who offers a virtual video tour of her agency,while explaining its mission of empowerment for people with disabilitiesTaped Dec. 7, 2015

Eyewitness Report and Analysisof the Paris Terrorist Attacks

Joey Johannsen and Gabi Helfert, who were in Paris on vacation during the attacks, Skype into the show from their home in Rotterdam, in The Netherlands.

Franck Meunier, a native of France living in Madison, and Dr. Joseph Elder,UW-Madison Professor Emeritus of Sociology, and an internationalQuaker peace activist, join us in the studio.

Taped Nov. 23, 2015

Part One

Part Two

Rob Gard, author of 'Distilling Rob: Manly Lies and Whisky Truths'

Rob, who was born and raised in Beloit, uses the whisky-makingand maturation process as an analogy for how boys mature into men,​weaving together past and presentpersonal narrative arcs on a journey of understandingTaped Nov. 13, 2015

Sterling North Book and Film Festival Preview

John is joined by Lucy Sanna, Author of 'The Cherry Harvest,'Emily Auerbach, UW Professor of English discussing Harper Lee's new bookand Cyndi Wood coordinator of the Sterling North Book Fest

A fascinating discussion and program preview of this exciting Nov. 7th eventbringing together authors from near and far in the spiritof Edgerton native and "Rascal" author Sterling NorthTaped Oct. 23, 2015

Our special visiting guest was Sahar Abbasi Baidon,Women and Children Activities Coordinator from Silwan in East Jerusalem

She shares stories from her experience and the importance of improving the life of children and women. She was in Madison to to speak about and present the photo exhibit Room Number 4: Israeli Arrests of Palestinian Children

Kathy Walsh from Madison-Rafah Sister City Project also joins the show to build awareness of the nature of the Israel-Palestinian conflict and to help bring understandings about how we can play a productive role here in the US.

Global Health DiplomacyShow Taped October 15, 2015A Conversation with former Ambassador to Botswana John Lange and International Nursing Leader Barbara Nichols

Amb. Lange is a UW Law School Alumnus, with a 28 year career in foreign service, preceded by five years of service at UNA-New York and followed by a leadership role at the Bill and Belinda Gates Foundation. He is now a senior fellow at the UN Foundation in Washington, DC.

UN Association-Dane County Emeritus President Barbara Nichols served as the first African-American president of the American Nurses Association, and more recently as the CEO and President of the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools.

Amb. Lange spoke at the UNA-Dane UN Day dinner in Madison a week later. He's pictured here with Forward Forum's John Quinlan, a UNA leader.

Barbara Nichols with WEA Trust V.P. Tim Bartholow.

And a preview of the October 10, 2015Dane County Alzheimer's walk at Warner ParkFor more information call888-308-6251or go to www.alzwisc.org

Interview with Dr. Ruben Anthony, Jr.CEO and President of the Urban League of Greater Madisonon his organization's history and vision for the futureShow taped September 21, 2015

Dr. Anthony is joined by Jon Gramling, publisher and editor of the Capital City Huesand community leader Percy Brown, Jr.who received recognition at the Urban League's recent Urban Cabaret event

An Interfaith Vision of Worker Justice:Conversation with Rudy Lopez, Exec. Director of the national organization, Interfaith Worker JusticeShow Taped July 30, 2015

Rudy was joined by Sarah Smoot, Madison-based organizer for theInterfaith Coalition for Worker Justice (ICWJ)

ICWJ will be sponsoring a workshop by Rudy Lopez on Tuesday, August 4th at 7pm at First Unitarian Society

Details are at www.workerjustice.org

Author and Activist Stephen Jenkinsonon his new book: "Die Wise - A Manifesto for Sanity and Soul"about grief, and dying, and the great love of lifeShow taped July 24, 2015

Stephen will be appearing in Rhinelander, WI on Wednesday, July 29thIn Madison, WI on Thursday, July 30thand in Chicago on Friday, July 31st, and in a workshop the following day

For more information, go to www.orphanwisdom.com

Space is limited, especially for the Madison event, so please register today!

Here's how he describes his book's message: "Die Wisedoes not offer seven steps for coping with death. It does not suggest ways to make dying easier. It pours no honey to make the medicine go down. Instead, with lyrical prose, deep wisdom, and stories from his two decades of working with dying people and their families, Stephen Jenkinson places death at the center of the page and asks us to behold it in all its painful beauty. "

Please join us for a fascinating conversation, conducted via Skype from the study at Stephen's beautiful home two hours west of Ottawa, Canada. Please excuse the technical shortcomings of the video, but it's a thought-provoking dialogue we believe you'll enjoy greatly, nonetheless.

Dane Dances: Four Friday Nights in August that Build Community

Al Cooper, president of Dane Dances, describes this amazing free community dance event (every Friday night in August from 5:30 to 9:30 at Monona Terrace)that features an eclectic mix of first class bands, and he also explains how it relates to our community's ongoing quest for racial and cultural understanding

In part two of our interview, we explore Al's personal journey as someone who grew up in the Mississippi Delta, and then came to the UW for school in 1969, and what he's witnessed in greater Madison in the years sinceShow taped July 10, 2015

Stephanie Rearick on the Mutual Aid Networks

Creating a legal, social and financial framework to help people redesign their work lives, by creating more comprehensive and resilient kinds of resource sharing and exchangeShow taped June 30, 2015

Sharon Kilfoy on Arts and Activism

This prolific initiator of murals and other community arts projects describes the life path that brought her into this groundbreaking, community-building workShow taped May 29, 2015

"Blue Jeans are one of the things that best symbolize us..."﻿Blue Jean Nation president/founder Mike McCabe in a spirited conversation about taking back the two major political partiesfor the common good of Wisconsin's plain peopleShow taped May 26, 2015

Racial Justice in Madison and Beyond:A Conversation with African-American leaderand Vets for Peace activist Will WilliamsShow taped May 15, 2015

We Will Bounce Back: A Look at the Beautiful Land of NepalThe Strength and Resilience of its People and its Culture examinedwith guests UW emeritus faculty Joe Elder and Krishna PradhanShow taped April 28, 2015Vigil for Nepal, Wednesday, April 29th, 7pm at WI State Capitol

The Joe Hill Roadshow: Remembering an Important Labor Activist 100 years laterShow taped April 21, 2015An Interview with National Tour and Madison Event Organizer Norm Stockwell about a celebration of the life of labor activist, songwriter and writer Joe Hill

On this the centenary of his death, a local concert with an amazing range of performing artists will take place on Wednesday, May 6th at 7pm at Madison's Barrymore Theater. Ticket information is at barrymorelive.com .

Segment Two: The Possibilities that come with Community Radioa bonus discussion in the last ten minutes of our show

Norm Stockwell, who is Operations Coordinator at Madison's WORT Community Radio, and has helped establish similar stations worldwide, joins in discussion with John and Sun Prairie Media Center Director Jeff Robbins on the eve of the premiere of SPMC's new community radio station

"Have You Been to Jail for Justice?"Protest of Peace Activist/Grandmother Bonnie BlockShow in two parts, taped on March 30, 2015 and April 10, 2015

***Part One: Reasons Why Drone Warfare Must Be Ended

Taped Two Days before Bonnie went on trial and then spent five days in jailShow focuses on Issues Surrounding The Ethics of Drone WarfareAnd Concerns about the Role of Wisconsin's Volk Field

An Interview with"Blue Jeans in High Places" Author Mike McCabeShow Taped on February 27, 2015

Restoring Democracy: On the Eve of His Founding a "Blue Jean Nation" Movement and Organization, Mike Discusses Needed Reforms and the Life Journeys that Led Him Here

This website serves as the home for the video version of John Quinlan's "Forward Forum" public affairs show, which debuted in February of 2015, and airs statewide and in podcast worldwide. This site links to archived interviews from the show and accompanying links and graphics.